


Dog

by Iresposts



Series: Cody family album [3]
Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Canon Het Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 21:52:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16819180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iresposts/pseuds/Iresposts
Summary: A drug deal goes horribly wrong, and as a result Craig ends up adopting two puppies. (No violence, except emotional.) Also features sub Craig and dom Renn (not explicit).





	Dog

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Dog](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/437263) by theninjazebra. 



> Beta read by @allthehearteyes. Story by @theninjazebra and @iresposts.

**Dog**

“They’re American Pit Bull Terriers recognized by the United Kennel Club and American Dog Breeders Association. They are worth hundreds of dollars!” Her voice was high and breathy as she struggled to get the words out, but she was standing firm. Craig was kind of impressed. Not everyone could deal with Renn’s I’m-not-taking-your-shit attitude.

“Look lady, no money, no drugs. That’s how it works.” Renn caught Craig’s eyes and made her ‘Will you believe this middle-class idiot?’ face. She continued to tap her nails against her thick shell-encrusted bracelet, which was starting to get on Craig’s nerves, never mind psyching dog-breeder-junkie out. Renn was staring her down and Craig almost felt sorry for her, before he remembered that he was supposed to look intimidating. He stood up taller and loomed. The woman – Julia – flinched.

Craig tried hard not to fall into the chasm that the name had made inside him. Not their lost Julia. Lost forever now. But Craig didn’t like to think of that, so he didn’t. But some days she was closer than most.

Like she knew she had nothing to lose, the woman knelt and opened the wicker basket and two little heads popped out. Craig couldn’t help the ‘Awww’ from escaping. Renn gave him a dirty look kind of ‘What now?’ but Craig ignored it. He found himself in front of the basket, hands reaching for the puppies. They were silky and soft, wriggling and squirming in his grasp. He held one to this chest, while he brought the other one close to his face, staring into the little puppy’s eyes. It sneezed into his face, not even a full ‘Ach-oo’ but an abbreviated ‘choo!’ Even that was adorable. He kissed the little nose.

“Renn…” he said.

“No fucking way. Put them back.” She was having none of it.

“They are just the sweetest little things. Great for families, you know?” Julia said smiling at him.

“Like the one the other day in Boca Raton that ate a little girl’s face off?” said Renn, glaring at Craig. She was gesturing put-them-back but Craig didn’t. Because finally for the first time in ages he felt something, and he hadn’t been feeling much lately, which was kinda good, but mostly weird.

“I’ll give you the money for the dogs,” he said, “Whatever she wants… um, Julia?” Funny. He still had trouble getting her name out.

Smurf had tried to explain it away, and Craig never said anything while she subtly changed the story around them all. _Julia doesn’t want us. Julia left because she wanted to. Julia stole from us. Julia’s a traitor._ He’d seen her once working at a swimming pool supply store looking OK, and not strung out. She’d smiled at the customer with the chemicals, pumps and filters arranged behind her, everything in sunny blue. He’d turned around and walked out, shaking because he hadn’t known what to do. He was shaking now.

“Please, Renn.” Craig couldn’t help it, but it came out in his voice. He wanted the puppies because Smurf had always said no, and he didn’t have the smarts to argue why he should, and all her reasons were always super convincing. Like that day in the desert, the last time he’d asked. Some of it must have shown because Renn rolled her eyes and he knew it was done. Somewhere in there was a part of her that really liked him too.

“What the fuck! Fine.” She grimaced, and Craig thought that she still looked hot, but that was kind of his setting around her. “Give them to him,” she said to Julia, irritation apparent. She hated appearing weak, kind of like Smurf really, so he figured he owed her now. More than probably what the dogs cost.

“Oh, thank you!” Julia smiled at him and then at Renn, her eyes kind of bouncing between them, trying to decide where she should smear her gratefulness on.

“What do you want? And you bet I’m going to check what they go for on Craigslist. What did you say they were?” Renn went for her phone. Craig tuned out as they did the deal, going back and forth about how much, breeds, and what that translated to with Oxy. Once she was in, Julia got confident and Craig had a moment to think that he’d been played, but he was OK with that. Puppies.

His ears perked up at the mention of Fentanyl, but he heard Renn slap her down. Not in the business of actively killing people then. A responsible dealer, who knew?

He didn’t know what to do with the two of them. He put one back into the basket and then it looked sad and did puppy barks, and then he had to hug it and give it attention, and then other one got sad being alone, so he was trapped on the floor doing an endless chain of cuddles. He had a fleeting thought that maybe he ought to only keep one, but that meant breaking them up, and he couldn’t do that. Families stay together, which reminded him—

“Do they have brothers and sisters?” Craig asked.

Both Renn and Julia gave him identical looks. _Let the grown-ups talk._ But Craig really needed to know, because, well he did and there was something heartbreaking about it, knowingly separating siblings.

“Don’t tell him.” Renn got in quick as Julia opened her mouth. “Just leave now before he decides he wants your whole puppy farm. Which by the way, I must say, I really disapprove of. Adopt don’t shop.” She pushed two full sandwich sized baggies into Julia’s hands, before firmly ushering her out, hand on her back. That looked like a boatload of pills, and yeah, more expensive than he’d realized. Renn came back and just took in him crouched on the floor, basket open, both puppies now cuddled to his chest.

“Craig.” She just shook her head at him and didn’t say anything else.

“I need to go to the pet store now. It’s getting dark and I’m not sure how long they’re open. The dogs need food, and beds and… toys,” he said as he thrust the puppies at her.

“The dogs go home with you. I’m serious Craig,” she glared at him, but she’d seen his weakness and he was grateful she’d understood. “I hate them!” She yelled the last at him as he walked out the door.

Off to the pet store and he hoped he would be in time. He felt like a kid again. What would he call them? Anything he liked. Pitbulls. They were meant to be ferocious. Fearless.

He swallowed a couple of Valiums as he got into the Jeep. He started the car, driving on automatic, remembering the last day he’d asked Smurf if they could get a dog.

Smurf had parked the car near the gate, at the start of the driveway, right out there in the sun and told them to stay put and that she meant it. It had been a hot summer’s day, and it had been boiling in the truck. He’d been sick as well, hungover from the night before. He’d not wanted to go, but Smurf had made him and Deran come. He couldn’t remember why, but around then she always dragged them along to meets, and Craig thought it was because it made her look harmless and sweet, just a single mom with kids doing her best.

Last stop was some survivalist guy in the desert and it was something about Semtex, so he’d deliberately stopped listening. By then the pounding in his head had gotten much worse, his throat was parched and he was feeling kind of like he was going to hurl.

He’d stumbled out not wanting to be sick in the car. He’d leant against the hot metal, head down before he remembered Smurf kept a 3-gallon bottle of water in the trunk. Just in case. Thank fuck, the bottle was where it usually was. It was one of those with a built-in handle and he’d tipped it back and despite being warm and kind of metallic tasting, it had done the trick. He’d managed to soak the front of his shirt too because it was such an awkward size, and that had helped too, cooling him down a little. He’d just put it back and slammed the trunk closed when a spit-soaked tennis ball had landed next to him, kicking up dust. He’d turned around to see two identical expressions on two doggy faces.

He’d turned around to check on Deran, who had been busy with his Gameboy, uncaring of the heat, focused on beating the game, so Craig had shrugged and gone for it. The two mutts had been overjoyed at finding a capable buddy to play their game. No matter how far and fast he threw the ball, the shepherd always managed to catch it mid-air. The ball had made an audible ‘thwack’ but the dog hadn’t seemed to care, always bringing it back and dropping it in front of him. It had taken Craig a couple of times to work out that the shepherd was the smart one. The pitbull had just chased the other dog around.

Craig had forgotten everything else for however long the game lasted, just tossing the ball at the shepherd.

“Craig!” It had been Smurf’s voice, sharp and loud behind him. “I thought I told you to stay in the truck.”

He’d turned around and had gotten cold.

“Smurf, I want to go hoooooome,” said Deran. He was holding onto her leg, looking at Craig through his fringe. Craig could tell that he was getting ready to cry, gearing up for one of his meltdowns.

“Deran followed me to the house. I’m trying to do business here. Get back into the truck both of you.” She’d ripped Deran from her side, opened the door and pushed him in. As expected, he started to cry. Craig had looked at her face, dropped the ball, and had gotten into the car. She’d slammed the door after him and had gone back into the house. The dogs had leapt onto the truck making the truck move, wet noses pushed against the windows, whining for him to come out and play. He hadn’t, just held Deran close, trying to get him to stop howling.

Smurf wouldn’t like that Deran causing a fuss because she was hungover too, and the night before had been one of those nights where she’d sat by the pool, wrapped up in one of her silk dressing gowns, smoking cigarette after cigarette. The others had been at a party, and Deran asleep. Craig had been with her the whole night, but she’d never said what was bothering her, just knocked the drinks back. He’d made his own drinks and stayed beside her, feeling helpless, wanting to protect her but not sure from what.

After a while she’d come back to the truck and it had been an icy silence all the way home. Deran had shut up too, picking up on the atmosphere. The ride back home had taken forever. He’d felt relief once they’d pulled up at the house.

She’d gotten out of the car, and they were about to walk into the house. She was carrying Deran who had his face buried in her hair, his blond hair mixing with hers. Craig had known it was the wrong time to ask her, but he had anyway, because dogs. Who didn’t love dogs?

“Can we get a dog, please? Mom.” He added the last and immediately regretted it. Craig braced himself, kind of knowing it would be a no.

She’d turned around. Put Deran down and looked at him for a few moments. Craig had shrunk down into himself and tried to make himself smaller.

“No, baby,” she sighed and reached up to pat Craig’s head. “You know this family already has one.”

He pulled up at the parking lot in front of the strip mall with the pet store, almost physically pushing the memory away. It was just Smurf.

He walked into the store. It smelt of animals and food, meaty, with a trace of hay. Did he need a cart? He definitely needed a cart, two dogs meant twice the amount of stuff to get. He had a lot of fun choosing beds and bowls, cans and bags of dry food. Who knew they were so many different types of puppy food? He got everything, he thought, pausing at the register where there was more stuff. He added a couple of extra things he’d forgotten.

He pulled up outside Renn’s and grabbed the plastic bag with the chew toys and collars. He walked inside and there she was, holding a puppy on her lap, with the other peeking out of the basket.

“You couldn’t resist, huh?” He laughed, and she did too, and it suited her. He opened the bag and pulled out the collars.

“Those are definitely too big,” she said eying them.

“I know, but I thought I might get a bunch of different sizes from now to when they are older. Plus, they were on sale,” he said. He ripped the packaging from the smallest collar. The tags jangled, and the puppy’s ears perked up. Craig reached over and tied it around the neck of the dog. It pawed at it a couple of times before it wriggled off Renn’s lap in protest. Renn shrugged. The other one, seemingly knowing what was coming, made a break for it from the basket. Craig caught it easily in the hallway, holding it between his knees as he tied it on. There. He let the dog go and it ran off back into the living room.

The sun was setting, the light in the room almost pink. Renn was on the sofa holding the biggest collar, running her hands over it, feeling the leather. She snapped it against her leg and hissed. He knew what it meant, she was in a mood and he _loved_ it when she was in this mood. He knew what to do. Craig hauled his t-shirt over his head and took off pants and underwear dropping them on the floor. He went over and sat next to her, quiet and still. Waiting for her. The air was magnetic.

“Hands behind your back,” she said, and he complied straightway. Tying up was better but sometimes she didn’t make it easy for him, making him choose to submit. It was easier in his head fighting against zip ties and rope, but she knew that, so she didn’t most of the time. She got onto his lap, completely ignoring his erection. She held the collar up and it was a question. Craig had a moment to think _No_ before it was around his neck. His breathing got choppy. She just held it there, not buckling it for the minute or two before he managed to get himself under control.

It didn’t mean anything. He’d never told that story to her, or to anyone.

His breathing evened out, and she took it as a sign to do up the buckle. She tested the fit by slipping two fingers underneath the collar, which made it tighten up. Craig breathed in sharply. He really liked that. She cupped his jaw and tilted his face up, admiring the collar, admiring him. She pressed her finger hard against his bottom lip, and the flesh mashed against his teeth painfully.

The collar rested against his neck, the leather warming up, contrasting against the cool metal of the buckle. She hooked a finger inside the D ring and yanked. Craig’s head jerked forward. He didn’t quite know how much of the movement was her pulling and how much was him exaggerating the effect it had, because it really turned him on. His dick was hard. He loved being in her control. Felt weirdly free to just… be.

“I can clip the leash,” she pulled at the ring again, “right here. Take you around with me.” Craig waited for it, for her to say something like Smurf had, but she didn’t. It was enough that she was thinking it and Craig suddenly had choke back the tears. _Big dumb dog_. It had come up unexpectedly, the bad feelings.

“No, please don’t,” he said. Being helpless made him feel things that he normally didn’t, and he liked that, but the reason why he liked it was because he knew he was safe with her. But this collar and leash thing was leaning towards not safe because of what she might say. Something that would remind him of what Smurf had said that day that he’d never forgotten.

“Color?” Renn looked him straight in the eye, completely serious.

“Red,” he got out.

She immediately unbuckled the collar and tossed it away. Craig breathed a sigh of relief. He also took it as an order to let go of his hands. He reached around her and held her close, trying not to let go of the sobs clogging his throat. He pressed his face against her chest, desperate for comfort and childishly thankful that they’d stopped.

She let him calm down before she pushed him down so that he was flat on his back. She quickly slid out of her dress and thong and got on top of him. He could feel her wetness on his chest as she crawled up until she was hovering over his face, her knees on either side of his head. Craig knew what to do.

He started lapping.

**Author's Note:**

> COMING SOON 
> 
> Story 4 Pope’s left in charge at the Cody house, and teenage Craig promptly breaks his arm. 
> 
> Story 5 Craig makes out with a guy, and Deran’s 100% not chill.


End file.
